ACCA membership overtakes ICAEW

Worldwide membership of
ACCA
has overtaken the
ICAEW
for the first time.

The latest survey of accountancy by the
Professional Oversight
Board reveals that ACCA had 137,233 members worldwide in 2009, up
from 131,398 a year earlier. The ICAEW saw member numbers increase to 134,698
from 132,411.

Compound annual growth across the six main institutes was 3.4% between 2004
and 2009.

The ICAEW's growth during that period was 1.2%, ACCA grew 5.6% and
CIMA
4.2%. ICAS' compound growth was 2.8% across the period, while
CIPFA
grew 0.4%.

UK membership for the ICAEW grew 1.5% to 2009 (114,468) from a year earlier,
while ACCA climbed 1.9% over the year to 68,907.